Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a device, system and method for cooling a reagent compartment. The invention also relates to a use of the device.
Brief Description of the Related Art
Automated analyzer systems typically incorporate modules for loading, storage, and unloading of reagent fluids. The reagent fluids are usually comprised in a reagent compartment, and the temperature of the reagent fluids usually needs to be constant and at a low level.
Cooling units comprising a Peltier element as a cooling element are often used to cool reagent compartments in smaller medical instruments. The cold side of the cooling element is usually attached to the reagent compartment cooling the inside of the reagent compartment. The warm side of the cooling element needs to be cooled with forced air flow. Peltier elements are bolted to the reagent compartment and to the heat exchanger with tightly controlled torque.
The space above the reagent compartment usually has to be accessed by a pipettor, so that the cooling units cannot be mounted above the reagent compartment. The front of the reagent compartment must be accessible to load reagents or reagent racks into the reagent compartment so that the cooling unit cannot be mounted at the front.
Cooling units are therefore usually attached to the bottom or to the rear of the reagent compartment. The reagent compartment then needs to be made from heat conductive materials in order to distribute the temperature.
Cooling units mounted to the bottom of the reagent compartment have the cold side of the cooling element above the warm side of the cooling element. Complex insulation is thereby necessary, which also needs to be watertight because condensed water on the cold side of the cooling element can drip onto the warm side of the cooling element and spoil the electric contacts of the cooling element. Precautions have to be taken to prevent any liquids, spilled or condensed, to enter the cooling units.
If the cooling units are mounted to the bottom of the reagent compartment, the cooling units add to the overall height of the system comprising the device for cooling the reagent compartment and the reagent compartment, because of the heat exchanger and the space for forced air flow at the bottom of the reagent compartment.
Service access to the cooling units is usually only possible if the entire device for cooling a reagent compartment is removed and the cooling units are detached from the reagent compartment.